Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Feb 12 (Antara) - Garuda's plane ticket sales to particularly Pontianak and the West Kalimantan province in general have gone up up to 90 percent ahead of the Lunar New Year festival on February 19.
"Ticket sales are up for February 16 to 19, 2015," Garuda Pontianak general manager Donald Jerry said here on Thursday.
He said he had predicted there would also be a hike in ticket sales ahead of Imlek as the festival is called locally and the Cap Go Meh festival 15th day after Imlek, which would be centered in Pontianak, the capital of West Kalimantan, and Singkawang city.
"The ticket sales figures have been fixed for Jakarta-Pontianak route," he added.
The sales of tickets for return journey from Pontianak to Jakarta however are still fluctuating as the Imlek festival lasts for 15 days until Cap Go Meh, he said.
"Their figures are still changing and so we cannot confirm them yet," he said.
Jerry said Garuda has increased the capacity by replacing Boeing 737-500 with Boeing 737-800 to serve the route for the events this year.
"The increasing capacity will certainly affect the number of passengers and ticket sales and so for this year Garuda Pontianak predicts it will record sales growth," he said.
"We believe the growth will reach up to nine percent," he said adding that Boeing 737-500 only has a capacity of 96 seats while Boeing 737-800 162.
The government meanwhile has planned to focus on Imlek festivals in six cities in the country namely Singkawang in West Kalimantan, Medan in North Sumatra, Semarang, Solo and Yogyakarta in Central Java and Palembang in South Sumatra.
The director of Indonesia Image of the ministry of tourism, Ratna Suranti, said on Wednesday her office planned to hold special events to mark the Imlek commemoration in the cities.
"We hope in the future they will become special attractions for foreign tourists," she said.
Several events would be held in the six cities including in Singkawang which has so far been known as the biggest Cap Go Meh event in Southeast Asia, marked by various traditional rituals and parade.
COPYRIGHT © ANTARA News Kalimantan Barat 2015
"Ticket sales are up for February 16 to 19, 2015," Garuda Pontianak general manager Donald Jerry said here on Thursday.
He said he had predicted there would also be a hike in ticket sales ahead of Imlek as the festival is called locally and the Cap Go Meh festival 15th day after Imlek, which would be centered in Pontianak, the capital of West Kalimantan, and Singkawang city.
"The ticket sales figures have been fixed for Jakarta-Pontianak route," he added.
The sales of tickets for return journey from Pontianak to Jakarta however are still fluctuating as the Imlek festival lasts for 15 days until Cap Go Meh, he said.
"Their figures are still changing and so we cannot confirm them yet," he said.
Jerry said Garuda has increased the capacity by replacing Boeing 737-500 with Boeing 737-800 to serve the route for the events this year.
"The increasing capacity will certainly affect the number of passengers and ticket sales and so for this year Garuda Pontianak predicts it will record sales growth," he said.
"We believe the growth will reach up to nine percent," he said adding that Boeing 737-500 only has a capacity of 96 seats while Boeing 737-800 162.
The government meanwhile has planned to focus on Imlek festivals in six cities in the country namely Singkawang in West Kalimantan, Medan in North Sumatra, Semarang, Solo and Yogyakarta in Central Java and Palembang in South Sumatra.
The director of Indonesia Image of the ministry of tourism, Ratna Suranti, said on Wednesday her office planned to hold special events to mark the Imlek commemoration in the cities.
"We hope in the future they will become special attractions for foreign tourists," she said.
Several events would be held in the six cities including in Singkawang which has so far been known as the biggest Cap Go Meh event in Southeast Asia, marked by various traditional rituals and parade.
Editor : Teguh Imam Wibowo
COPYRIGHT © ANTARA News Kalimantan Barat 2015